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at&t: we don't know why you can't call 829 area code

My dad spends about every other month in the Dominican Republic. We share two lines on a Family Talk 900 plan. To save money, he uses a Codetel (local GSM provider) prepaid phone locally (and pays like .10 a min to call the US where at&t charges 1.99 a min).

The issue I have had for 6 months is that I can't call his cellphone (or any 829 area code numbers). Yes, I have international LD on both our lines, and have no trouble calling 809 area code numbers. It appears that at&t doesn't know how to properly route calls to the new 829 area code, which is an overlay of 809 (it's strictly used for DR cellphone carriers).

When I call from my at&t phone, I get one of two intercepts:
one immediately comes on and says "the number you dialed is not a working number. please check the number and dial again. message 3 GA 04 GE"
sometimes it will say "the international call you have made cannot be completed as dialed, message 143 T"

I have two trouble tickets open. A gentleman called me from a NOC asking what was happening. Two reps (both in Seattle call centers) confirmed they got the similar issue when placing test calls from their personal phones, but have no idea why. The NOC rep had me place three call attempts, 30 seconds apart, and said he was "tracing the calls" but still had no resolution.

I have dealt with this for 6 months. Apparently it's another case of at&t not knowing how to handle international calls. I have ZERO problems placing calls from my T-Mobile phone.

and it gets better, my dad says it takes an average of 10 attempts to call my at&t number from his Codetel phone, yet he can get through on my T-Mobile phone on the first time, everytime. They are both 404 numbers.

He is about fed up with at&t and as much as we pay them, we expect things like this to be corrected in a timely manner. at&t keeps trying to point the finger at Codetel...

well if it their issue, why is it that T-Mobile has no problem completing calls to the same number? and I can call the number from a Sprint and Verizon phone with no problem either.

Is there anyone I can contact at at&t that can fix this? I get the feeling they have no idea where the problem is. The intercept recording is an at&t intercept, not Codetel.

don't know who to cantact but I have dealt with this in the past with different area codes. The problem is an ATT problem. the 829 area code is not provisioned in their switch systems. It seems like an easy fix, but will take some time to get corrected.

Since there are problems going from the Dominican Republic to AT&T numbers, the problem is not with AT&T alone since they would know how to route calls internally. AT&T does not handle the calls the entire distance. Part of the route is on AT&T cellular network, the local landline network servicing the local AT&T cellular network, the landline long distance carrier, the network handling the international part of the call, the local telephone company in the Domincan Republic and finally the wireless company in the Domincan Republic. It would be difficult placing the blame on a single company.

Since there are problems going from the Dominican Republic to AT&T numbers, the problem is not with AT&T alone since they would know how to route calls internally. AT&T does not handle the calls the entire distance. Part of the route is on AT&T cellular network, the local landline network servicing the local AT&T cellular network, the landline long distance carrier, the network handling the international part of the call, the local telephone company in the Domincan Republic and finally the wireless company in the Domincan Republic. It would be difficult placing the blame on a single company.

easy to point the finger at Codetel, but why does T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon have no problem delivering calls to the same number and area code? The error message is from the at&t switch, not Codetel. It has been six months, no resolution. I have to use my T-Mobile phone to call down there (and it goes through EVERY time) and use up my minutes because at&t scratches their butt.

I am sorry but they need to resolve this. Anyone have any higher up contact info? Please PM if you can help...

Forward your incoming calls to your T-Mobile number to you Dad's CodeTel number.

Then call your T-Mobile number with your AT&T phone.

See if it gets through that way with T-Mobile forwarding the AT&T call to the CodeTel network/number.

Let us know if it works.

If you feel that you have to correct some of my posts for my capitalization of some of my words, then just bear with it. It's just a discussion forum where some may be limited by time to answer in well-versed and eloquent sentences.

I already got a PHD (Plain High School Diploma) so ignore my style of writing and I'll ignore your ignorance.

Subject: You can read this-trust me!

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!

When asked if I see the glass half empty or half full, I responded I see just a glass of water.
Now you know how I think.

easy to point the finger at Codetel, but why does T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon have no problem delivering calls to the same number and area code? The error message is from the at&t switch, not Codetel. It has been six months, no resolution. I have to use my T-Mobile phone to call down there (and it goes through EVERY time) and use up my minutes because at&t scratches their butt.

I am sorry but they need to resolve this. Anyone have any higher up contact info? Please PM if you can help...

The area code has been in use since 2005. Why would it break now? T-Mobile is probably using different networks to complete its calls. No single carrier handle the entire route. The original AT&T was disbanded in 1984. There is no single telephone company anymore.